A board game titled "Living Forest" is lying on a wooden surface. The box cover features a vibrant illustration of a mystical forest with an anthropomorphic tree in the center, fire inside it, and whimsical creatures around, including a bird and small insects. The names Aske Christiansen and Apolline Étienne are credited on the box, along with the logo of Ludonaute, the publisher.
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Living Forest (2021)

ByMichail

Living Forest

Living Forest is a board game designed by Aske Christiansen and published by Ludonaute in 2021. It is a deck-building, tile placement game where players aim to rescue forest trees from Onibi, a fictitious beast. The game received positive reviews and won awards, including the 2022 Kennerspiel des Jahres and the As d’Or awards.

Why is Living Forest Popular?

Living Forest is popular due to its engaging Gameplay Mechanics of Living Forest, replayability, and component quality. The game combines various mechanics, including deck-building, push-your-luck, and tile placement, making it a unique and exciting experience for players. The game’s three different victory conditions ensure a high level of replayability and a different dynamic to each new game.

Game Components of Living Forest

  • Guardian Animal cards: These cards feature various animal guardians with different symbols and elements.
  • Forest individual boards: Each player has a board to track their progress and elements.
  • Circle of Spirits board: A central board where players move and interact.
  • Fragment tiles: Used for gaining elements and performing actions.
  • Fire tiles: Represent the threat of Onibi’s flames.
  • Fire Varan cards: Penalty cards that players must add to their deck when they cannot fend off fires.
  • Protective Trees: Tokens for planting trees.
  • Sacred Flowers: Tokens for awakening the forest’s guardian.
  • Magic fragments: Used to get rid of Fire Varan cards.

    How To Setup Living Forest

    To set up Living Forest, each player selects a nature spirit (spring, summer, autumn, or winter) and receives a corresponding individual board. Players shuffle their Guardian Animal card decks and draw a starting hand. The Circle of Spirits board is placed in the center, and the Fire tiles are positioned according to the starting conditions. Each player’s Sacred Tree token is placed on the board, and the game is ready to begin.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Guardian Animals Phase: Players draw Guardian Animal cards to form a help line, using a push-your-luck mechanism. Drawing stops if three solitary symbols are revealed.
  • Action Phase: Players perform actions based on the symbols on their Guardian Animal cards, such as gaining fragment tiles, attracting guardian animals, extinguishing fires, moving on the Circle of Spirits, or placing protective trees.
  • End of Turn: Onibi attacks, adding fires to the Circle of Spirits or Fire Varan cards to players’ decks. New Guardian Animals are added to the reserve, and the Sacred Tree is passed to the next player.
  • Game Objective: The game ends when a player achieves one of three victory conditions: planting 12 different Protective Trees, collecting 12 Sacred Flowers, or extinguishing 12 Fires.

    Player Experience

    In Living Forest, players take on the roles of nature spirits aiming to protect the forest from Onibi’s flames. The game is highly interactive, with each turn offering strategic decisions about when to stop drawing Guardian Animal cards and how to use the elements to perform actions. The blend of deck-building, push-your-luck, and tile placement mechanics provides a dynamic and engaging experience.

    Pros

  • High Replayability: Multiple victory conditions and random Guardian Animal draws ensure each game is unique.
  • Engaging Mechanics: The combination of deck-building, push-your-luck, and tile placement keeps players engaged.
  • Beautiful Artwork: The illustrations by Apolline Etienne are praised for their beauty and immersion.
  • Family Friendly: Suitable for players aged 8 and above, making it a good option for family game nights.

    Cons

  • Complexity: Some reviewers find the game a bit lightweight for hobby gamers but too complex for mainstream success.
  • Scalability Issues: The game is criticized for lacking movement actions for two players, and the victory conditions can be unbalanced.
  • Setup Time: The setup process is noted to be somewhat lengthy.

    Personal Thoughts on Living Forest

    Living Forest is ideal for those who enjoy strategic games with a mix of luck and planning. It is a great option for families and casual gamers looking for a game that offers depth without being overwhelmingly complex. However, hobby gamers seeking a more challenging experience might find it a bit too lightweight. The game’s beautiful artwork and immersive theme make it a standout in its category, and its high replayability ensures it will remain a favorite for many game nights to come.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl